Service truck for refrigerators



May 31, Bi B. RUSSELL. 1,361,191

SERVICE TRUCK FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Jan. 9. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/ .v J9 21 [I 9 W416 f 9 l 1a 62 as e4: 1

May 31, 1932.

a. B. RUSSELL SERVICE TRUCK FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Jan. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l I l I I l l .llL L.

In t "u 1 a. Ausseft Patented May 31, 1932 outrun STATES PATENT ()FFECE i BUFORD B. RUSSELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DRYING SYSTEMS, 1NC., OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS I V SERVICE TRUCK .FOR REFRIGERATORS Application filed January 9, 1931. seriaino. 507,643.

This invention relates to hand operated trucks designed for handling mechanical refrigerating units, including the hoisting and lowering thereof into and out'of refrigerator cabinets. It is customary in the servicing of domestic refrigerators to remove a faulty unit from the cabinet and replace such unit with another. As these units are heavy and difiicultto handle, and are likely to become injured or mar the refrigerator cabinet with the ordinary means now available for replacement of such units, this hand truck is provided for properly meeting such requirement.

The object of the invention is to provide a hand truck construction with provision for lifting and lowering units supported thereby, and to provide a unit receiving support on the truck which is shiftable into and out of supporting position to permit the truck to be run in under refrigerating cabinets when the hoisting and lowering part of the truck is in use. A further object of the invention is to provide a truck with a removable crane or davit like hoisting mechanism, and other incidental improvements, the 0011- struction and purpose of which will be explained in the following specification.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by a construction as shown in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved truck.

Fig. 2 is a' longitudinal vertical sectional view thereof.

Fig 3 is a sectional detail taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing how the legs of the foldable supporting frame are held against accidental displacement.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1 to illustrate the hoisting gearlng.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

, Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the foot brake for preventing the truck from shifting on the floor when thehoist is being operated.

The principal features of the hand truck herein disclosed are a base frame structure having suitable supporting wheels and a post rigidly supported on said base, a stanchion removably supported by the post and carrying a lifting element slidable vertically along said stanchion and having a horizontally extending arm with provision for attachment to a refrigerating unit. The truck is also provided, below the arm which extends thereover, with a supporting frame for receiving a refrigerating unit. This supporting frame is foldable against the post, which is at one end of the truck, for the purpose of permitting the truck to be partly run in under the refrigerating cabinet to facilitate the proper positioning of the truck at the time of lifting or lowering refrigerating units out of and into the cabinet.

Referring to the drawings, the truck frame 1 is shown supported by the rear wheels 2, and a set of forward casters 3, the latter being widely spaced by means of a plate member 4 attached to the frame.

The post 5 is rigidly mounted on the frame 1 and plate 4, and is braced by diagonal members 6. At its upper end the post is bored out at 7 to receive a swivel 8 depending from a hollow stanchion 9.

Slidable within this stanchion is a lifting crane 10 having guide rollers 11. These rollers run within the stanchion between the flanges 12, Fig. 3, and the back 13 thereof. A cable 14 is attached to the lower end of the crane 10, and runs over a pulley 15 at the up per end of the stanchion and downwardly therefrom through a tubing 16 attached to the rear wall of the stanchion. The cable is wound around and secured to a winding drum 17 supported by bracket 18 attached to the stanchion. This winding drum is fast to a shaft 19 journaled in the bracket 18 and in 27 attached to the plate. Depending from the plate are threaded socket rods 28 suitably positioned for engagement with threaded bolts which project upwardly from the supporting plate of the refrigerating unit. The swiveling motion of stanchion 9 on the post is limited by the pin 29 extending upwardly from post 5 into a notch 30 in the bearing plate 31 of the stanchion.

For the purpose of supporting the refrigerating unit when removed from the cabinet, the post 5 carries a fixed bracket 32, to the upper end of which is pivoted a frame 33. At its rear corners the frame 33 has pivotally connected therewith supporting legs 34.

When the frame 33 is in horizontal unitsupporting position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the legs 34 which rest upon the truck frame 1 are held against displacement by the pins 35 projecting from one side of the legs into recesses 36 in angle stops 37, and by a button 38 carried by a spring 39 attached to frame 1.

In order to fold frame 33 and legs 34 against the post 5, the button 38 is depressed and the legs 34 are swung toward the post while the frame 33 swings downwardly to vertical position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The frame and its supporting legs are foldable in this manner to allow the rear end of the truck to project beneath the refrigerator cabinet at the time the refrigerating unit is lifted out or lowered into the cabinet.

In order that the units may be protected from injury when placed upon the frame 33, the latter carries a rubber cushion 40.

The truck is provided with a foot operated brake 41, which may be pressed downwardly so the rubber pads 42 thereof bear against the floor. This brake is slidable on the bolt 43 against the action of spring 44 surrounding the bolt.

The rods 45 and 46 at the opposite ends of the truck serve as handle bars for carrying the truck or lifting it over obstructions.

In operation of the truck, for example, in the removal of a refrigerating unit from the cabinet therefor, the supporting frame and its legs are first folded as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the rear end of the truck frame is run beneath the cabinet from the front thereof.

This brings the projecting arm 25 of the crane 10 over the top of the refrigerator.

- The crane is then lowered so that the attaching elements 28 come into osition for engaging with the threaded en s of bolts projecting upwardly from the refrigerating unit. When the unit is attached to the rods 28, the operator steps upon the brake 41, holding it against the floor with his foot, and rotates crank handle 24 as required for winding the cable 14 onto the drum 17. hen the refrigerating unit has been hoisted out of the cabinet, the truck is drawn outwardly from the cabinet and the supporting frame 33 is adjusted into a horizontal position, and the unit is lowered into the frame in the required position to be carried away on the truck. The hoisting mechanism including stanchion 9 and crane 10 may also be detached from the unit and lifted out of post 5 to be separately transported.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be varied WlthOllt departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a hoisting hand truck comprising a base with supporting wheels thereon, a hollow rectangular post extending upwardly from said base and having a longitudinal slot located in one side, inwardly extending flanges along the edges of said slot, a vertically slidable lifting element mounted within said post and having a horizontally extending arm arranged to project through and travel along said slot, means mounted on said post for adjusting said lifting element therealong, and a collapsible supporting frame hinged to said post at one end and having hinged supporting means at its opposite end.

2. A hoisting hand truck comprising a base with supporting wheels thereon, a post rigidly supported on said base, a stanchion removably supported by said post and having a swivel connection therewith, a liftin element slidable vertically along sai stanchion and having a horizontally extending arm, manually operable means mounted on said stanchion for adjusting said lifting element therealong, a supporting frame hinged to said post at one end and having hircllged supporting means at its opposite en 3. A hoisting hand truck comprising a base with supporting wheels thereon, a post rigidly supported on said base, a stanchion removably supported by said post and having a swivel connection therewith, a liftin element slidable vertically along sai stanchion and having a horizontally extending arm, manually operable means mounted on said stanchion for adjusting said lifting element therealong, a supporting frame hinged to said post at one end and having hinged supporting means at its opposite end, said supporting frame when in supporting position being located beneath said horizontally extending arm, and means for limiting swivelling motion of said stanchion on the post.

Signed at Chicago this 6th day of January,

BUFORD B. RUSSELL. 

